Working Late
by OctoberGirl82
Summary: Closing a case keeps Goren and Eames at their desks long past quitting time.
1. Bobby

Author's Note: Here's another quick Goren & Eames one-shot. They don't belong to me, but I'm glad I get to borrow them sometimes.

* * *

He watched her across the desks, happy that she was too tired to notice his attention. They'd been at work for almost eighteen hours straight. He and Eames had closed the case, but the mountain of paperwork in the aftermath had them still at their desks at nearly one in the morning. Both detectives had the next two days off, and they wanted to finish up before leaving One PP.

Eames pushed her hair back for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes before her entire body was engulfed by an enormous yawn. "I can't take much more of this," she muttered as she stood up and stretched. Bobby's eyes were drawn to her midsection as the sweater she was wearing rode up, revealing a small strip of pale skin just above her jeans.

"Almost done," he replied, and it was true. He was half-way through his last form, and only one remained on Eames's desk. "I'll finish that while you take a walk."

Her smile, though tired, still lit up the empty squad room. "Thanks, Bobby." He watched her walk away before wrapping up the last of the paperwork.

By the time she had sufficiently loosened up her limbs after hours at her desk, Bobby was already wearing his coat. "Ready, Eames?"

She grabbed her coat. "Let's go." Together, they headed for the elevator.

* * *

In the parking garage, they tussled momentarily over the keys before another yawn interrupted Eames's reasoning. "Okay, Bobby, you drive." He knew she was exhausted, and the fact that she handed over the keys so quickly told Bobby just how wiped out she was.

They rode in silence; Eames fell asleep and Bobby couldn't help sneaking glances at her every few minutes as he drove her home. Her head rested against the window and her hair fell over her cheek, but the glow from the street lights on her face enchanted him.

He parked the car in front of her house and shut off the engine. Eames stirred, pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes, and murmured, "Thanks for the ride." She fumbled for the door handle but before she could open it, Bobby was there to help her from the vehicle. "I can go inside on my own."

"It's two in the morning. I"ll walk you up." She didn't argue and they started for her front door.

Once they were inside, she exclaimed, "I'm so sorry! You drove me all the way out here and it's the middle of the night."

"It's okay, Eames," said Bobby softly. He didn't mention that he would rather be with her than anywhere else.

"Why don't you stay here? Then we can have breakfast in the morning and I'll give you a ride home."

"You're not planning to cook, are you?"

She knew that meant he'd stay. "Very funny." She pulled a pillow and blanket from the hall closet and handed them to her partner. "Thanks for everything."

He caught her eye and held her gaze as he answered quietly, "Any time."


	2. Alex

**Author's Note: I had originally intended this to be a one-shot from Bobby's POV, but after reading sell's review, I thought tossing in Alex's POV couldn't hurt. Everyone needs a little more L&O:CI, right?**

* * *

She knew he was watching her across the desks - how could she not know? But she didn't address it. What did it hurt? She watched him from time to time - okay, as often as she had the chance - too.

She kept her head down but snuck a glance at him through her eyelashes as she pushed her bangs out of her face. Sometimes she wondered why she didn't either pull her hair back or have it cut differently, but she knew it gave her an outlet if she felt she needed a breather from one of Bobby's intense looks. Her hair also provided some cover when she wanted to observe him just the way he was watching her now.

A yawn caught Alex by surprise before she muttered, "I can't take much more of this," in reference to the paperwork that seemed never-ending. Feeling a bit playful, though exhausted, she stood up and stretched, making sure Bobby got an eyeful as her sweater slid up over her belt and flashed a little skin.

Ever the gentleman, Bobby offered to finish up while she took a walk. She felt his eyes on her again as she walked away and she smiled.

After a quick bathroom break, she returned to the squad room where Bobby was waiting. "Ready, Eames?" he asked.

Alex grabbed her coat. "Let's go." She walked to the elevator with him, resisting the urge to rub her eyes. She was so tired, but it had been a good evening between the partners, and Alex was reluctant to see it end.

* * *

She had the keys in her hand as they strolled through the parking garage before she heard Bobby say softly, "Let me drive you home, Eames."

Reflexively, she pulled the keys closer to her body and started to refuse, but another yawn hit her and she found herself dropping the keys into his palm. "Okay, Bobby, you drive." Alex knew she would have resisted more strongly had he approached the conversation by saying she shouldn't drive, but Bobby usually knew the way to obtain her agreement.

After settling into her seat, she rested her head against the window. She felt Bobby's eyes on her, but she didn't want to say anything to disrupt the peace in the car. It hadn't been in her plans, but they had only gotten a few miles into their journey before she fell asleep.

She woke when Bobby pulled up in front of her house. Forcing her heavy eyelids to open, she shoved her hair out of her face and thanked Bobby for the ride while reaching for the door handle. Alex wasn't at all surprised when Bobby opened the door to help her from the vehicle, but she said, "I can go inside on my own," anyway.

Of course Bobby protested and walked her to the door. She opened it and gestured for him to come in before it finally registered that he had driven her car tonight, leaving him in need of a cab if he were to head home himself. She apologized profusely and offered him breakfast if he'd stay over.

His sarcastic response - "You're not planning to cook, are you?" - told her he would stay as she had hoped.

"Very funny." She handed over the pillow and blanket she'd pulled from the closet and their fingers brushed lightly. "Thanks, for everything."

Alex nearly lost herself in his dark eyes when he said softly, "Any time." She gave him a sweet smile, then tipped her head so her hair fell into her eyes to give her an excuse to break eye contact.

"Good night, Bobby." She turned to go down the hall to her room, thinking maybe she'd offer to take Bobby to the MOMA tomorrow after breakfast, so she didn't hear the softly murmured, "Night, Alex," from the living room.

~*~The End~*~


End file.
